Water closet



Aug. 20, 1968 E cums SKOUSGAARD WATER CLOSET 2 Sheets-Sheet l mag INVENTOR.

1 CHRIS SKOUSG-RHRD A'rrakwsrs 1:1 E 55 H: w

Mr r0 5 I Z 4 H. I F

Filed 24, 1965 United States Patent 3,397,408 WATER CLOSET E Chris Skousgaard, Box 805, Lake Arrowhead, Calif. 92352 Filed Aug. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 482,114 9 Claims. (Cl. 426) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A water closet employing a tank closed at its upper end and having an open connection to the domestic water supply adjacent its bottom end including an outlet adjacent the bottom end of said tank normally closed by a float valve; valve means, preferably remotely from said tank for applying domestic water pressure to the bottom of a piston associated with the tank, said piston being spring biased towards a position to permit closing of said outlet valve by said float, but operating under domestic water pressure to engage and dislodge said float; the outlet being connected to a water closet bowl; and in which said outlet is larger than said inlet to permit draining of said tank on flushing and the diameter of the piston is greater than the diameter of the outlet valve to permit dislodging of the float. Needle valve means are incorporated in the outet mechanism to prevent surging and the entire mechanism is substantially noiseless as the pressures in the tank approach equilibrium as the float reseats with the result that the reseating of the float valve is accomplished from substantially full open to closed position without gradual tapering off of water discharge.

This invention relates to a water closet and more particularly to such a device which utilizes the line pressure on the domestic water supply controlled by a single valve member and 'which is designed to operate without producing any or substantially any objectionable noise.

More particularly, this invention relates to such a water closet which utilizes a pressurized Water tank which normally contains a sufiicient supply of water to provide all requirements and in which all of the operating parts except the bowl itsef, its supply line and a valve actuator are concealed within the walls, within the structure involved. It is also a feature of this invention that the external water supply line pressure is always communicated directly to the supply tank.

It is a further feature of this invention that valve means are interposed in the supply line beyond the pressurized tank which, when desired, may be operated to dislodge, temporarily, 1a float in the pressurized tank to permit delivery of the contents of the tank to the water closet bowl and that such delivery is thereafter closed 01f in a time cycle.

It is a further feature of this invention that the same pressure, that is external water supply pressure, which is used to pressurize the tank is also used to dislodge the float valve which controls the discharge of the water from the pressurized tank to the bowl and that this is accomplished by means of a differential between the area to which the tank pressure is applied and the piston which operates against this tank pressure to dislodge the float valve.

It is a further object and feature of this invention to provide control means for controlling the rate of discharge of the water from the pressurized tank which prevents any sudden surging.

It is a further feature of this invention that by reason of the selection of the size of the various openings for the flow of water there is no place in the mechanism wherein the flow of water can at any time create any significant objectionable noise.

It is a further feature of this invention that by reason of the fact that substantially all of the operating structure is mounted in the wall or rather between walls, a sig nificant saving of floor space in the bathroom is achieved.

It is a further feature of this invention that there is no passage small enough to create noise with the result that the only sound involved in the operation of the device is that of 'water flowing in the pipes themselves which is barely audible.

It is a further feature of this invention that whereas conventional line valves shut 0E gradually which causes extreme erosion on the valve seat and consequently a relatively short valve life, the valve in this invention is either completely open or completely closed and there is therefore no gradual tapering off of the water flow.

In the present conventional system the flow of water into the bowl is caused by gravity only and as there is a very small drop in elevation only this small amount of power is available, whereas in the present invention the full pressure in the domestic water supply is available.

It is a further feature of this invention that the control of discharge from the pressurized tank can be regulated from full line pressure to as little as five (5) pounds p.s.i., which makes possible a much more eflicient flushing action and the need for as much as thirty percent (30%) less water.

It is a further feature of this invention that after a flush has been completed the pressurized tank is completely filled within fifteen (15) seconds in contrast to the requirement of a minute and a half to three (3) minutes in conventional tank type water closets.

It is a further feature of this invention that the parts are simplified and the cost is reduced thereof and the system is more eflicient and durable.

It is a further feature of this invention that the actuating handle for the control valve may be located wherever desired.

It is a further feature of this invention that the tank and all controls may be installed between the studding in the walls, may not be immediately adjacent the bowl and may thus be located at any desired point to facilitate servicing.

These and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the annexed specification in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side View of an installation embodying the present invention with the fioors and walls of the associated structure shown in section;

. FIGURE 2 is a vertical section partly diagrammatic and partly fragmentary through the operating mechanism of this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the device with the actuating member depressed and the device arranged to begin delivery of water from the pressurized tank to the bowl;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical section through the actuating valve; and

FIGURE 5 is a section taken along the line 55 of FIGURE 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and particularly to FIGURE 1, there is shown a toilet bowl 10 to which leads a supply line 11. A main water supply line 12 supplies water under pressure through a T 13 and pipe 14 to tank 15. The supply line 12 supplies water to a valve 16 as by connection 17. A nipple 18 attaches the pipe 17 to the body 19 of the valve 16. Bore 20 in the body 19 communicates with the nipple 18 and has a seat 21 formed therein. A valve 22 having a tapered inner end 23 is provided and has a stud 24 formed on the outer end thereof which forms a retaining seat for a spring 25. The valve 22 has a reduced portion 26 extending through a bore 27 which communicates with the bore 20 and also with an enlarged bore 28 formed in the valve body 19. The other end of the valve 22 carries a valve 29 which has a tapered inner end 30 designed to seat on a tapered end wall 31 of the bore 28. The valve 29 has an annular ring 32 formed on the exterior thereof and in which is seated an O-ring 33. A push rod 34 is seated in thebore 28 and has its inner end contacting to the outer end of the valve 29 and has an outer end 35 adapted to engage the inner edge 36 of a pivoted valve actuator 37. The body 19 has a bore 40 communicating with a pipe 41 through a nipple 42 threaded into an enlarged portion of the bore 43. The body 19 has a bore 43 communicating with a pipe 44 through a nipple 45 threaded into an enlarged portion of the bore 43. The bore 40 communicates with the interior of the bore 28. A needle valve controls the flow of water through the bore 43 as shown in FIGURE 4.

The tank 15 is closed at the top 51 and is in the form of a hollow cylinder having an open lower end. The tank 15 has a ring 52 welded as at 53 to the bottom of the tank 15 and has female threads 54 adapted to receive the male threads 55 of a casting 56. The casting 56 has a reduced portion 57 having an inturned flange 58. A cage 59 is provided having a portion 60 fitting within the reduced portion 57 of the casting 56 and having a flange 61 seating on the shoulder 58 and retained therein by a split rig 62 seated in an annular groove 63. The cage 59 has an end cover 64 andthe cage 59 consists of a plurality spaced longitudinally extending members 65. A float 66 in a form of a hollow cylinder having a closed top 67 and a reduced bottom portion 68 is provided with the reduced bottom portion normally seated in an opening 69 in the member 60 and forming a seal therein.

A spider 70 is aflixed in a bore 71 in the casting 56 and has portions 72 engaging the split ring 62 and has a central guide member 73 through which passes a shaft 74. The casting 56 has an enlarged portion 75 against which is seated an enlarged portion 76 of a fitting 77. The portion 76 engages a washer 78 and forms a seal. The bottom of the fitting 77 has a nipple 80 to which is attached the pipe 41. A piston 81 having an O-ring 82 is formed upon the end of the shaft 74 and carries a collar 83 against which bears the bottom end of a coil spring 84 the upper end of which engages the central portion 73 of the spider 70. The enlarged portion 76 carries an O-ring 85.

The. pipe 11 leading to the bowl 10 is received in an opening in the casting 56. A retaining ring 91 bears against the lower end of the casting 56 and is held therein by a plurality of cap screws 92 and, a shoulder 86 on the fitting 77 is engaged by the ring 91 to retain the fitting 77 therein. An anti-siphon pipe is provided which is connected at one end to a check valve 101 and which has its other end opened to the atmosphere. The check valve 101 has a tapering seat 102 against which a ball valve 103 may be floated. It has been found in practice that where the line 11 has any appreciable length i.e. exceeding 6", and is filled with water, when the float 66 seats and closes off flow of water from the tank 15 that resurgence may occur in the entrapped water suflicient to dislodge the float 66. This phenomenon, sometimes called hammering, is overcome in the present invention by the use of the anti-siphon pipe 100 and the check valve 101 which breaks the vacuum existing in the line 11 so that the Water therein drains into the bowl 10 rather than resurging so as to dislodge the fioat 66.

The operation of the above-identified device is as follows:

As the water supply pipe 12 connected through the T 13 and pipe 14 is always open, water will pass into the interior of the tank 15. An annular channel 105 is seated in a tank 15 to prevent turbulence of the Water under pressure into the tank 15. The tank 15 is therefore normally filled with water to the extent that air entrapped in the space above the water in the closed upper end of the tank 51 permits. This, of course, means that the tank 15 is pressurized in normal operation. When it is desired to flush the 4 bowl 10 the actuator 37 is depressed as shown in FIG- URE 3.

By reference to FIGURE 3 it will be noted that communication has been opened from the water supply pipe 17 to the pipe 41 and thence to the bottom of the fitting 7. This causes the piston 81 to rise against the force of the spring 84 and forces the upper end of the rod 74 to dislodge the float 66 from its seat, all as shown in FIG- URE 3. Release of the actuator 37 then cuts off pressure from the water line 41 and permits the valve to close the supply and return to its normal position as shown in FIG- URE 2, under pressure of the spring 25.

In this position of the valve it will be noted that communication is open from the water line 41 through the bore 27 to the line 44. A fitting 112 is threaded into the casting 56 and communicates with a bore 113. A =by-pass line 114 is attached to the fitting 112 and in fact constitutes a portion of the pipe 44. Once the pressure is released from the actuator 37 and pressure removed from the pipe 41 the spring 84 causes the piston 81 to move downwardly. As this is done the water entrapped below the piston 81 will pass downwardly through the line 41 up to the bore 27 down through the pipe 44 and its extension 114 and will enter the fitting 112 and pass to the pipe 11 leading to the bowl 10. At the same time the water in the tank 15 will be forced under the pressure of the air down through the cage 59 and enter the pipe 11 leading to the bowl 10. As the contents of the tank 15 empty into the bowl 10 the float 66 will reseat as shown in FIGURE 2 and the tank will refill though the supply line 14 and the device is in condition for a subsequent use.

It will be noted that in the foregoing description that the bowl 10, the pipe 11 and actuating member 37 are the only portions of this device which are in the bathroom 120 which has a wall 121. The adjoining room 122 has a wall 123 and between the two walls 121 and 123 are house-d the tank 15 and all of the associated mechanism.

Attention is called to the diameter of the pipe 14 which supplies water to the tank 15 which is the same diameter as that of the supply line 12 and offers no resistance to the flow of water therein. However, diameter of the pipe 14 is less than that of the outlet opening 69 so that when the float valve 66 is fully dislodged and the upper end 110 of the rod 74 is completely free of the opening 69 the contents of the pressurized tank 15 will empty into the bowl 10 at a greater rate than the tank will be refilled by water entering the supply line 14. However, it will be noted that the inner walls of the portion 60 of the cage 59 are tapered as is the top of the upper end 110.

It will be further noted that the diameter of the piston 81 is greater than the diameter of the opening 69 or of the bottom portion 68 of the float 66 so that although the pressure within the tank 15 is line pressure and is substantially equal to the pressure supplied to the piston 8-1 through the pipe 41, the force applied to the piston 81 is greater than the force applied upon the float valve 66 with the result that the float valve 66 may be dislodged when pressure is applied to the piston 81.

As herein above described, after the float valve 66 has been dislodged the rod 74 returns to its initial position under the force of the spring 84. However, water is entrapped below the piston 81 as shown in FIGURE 3 and the return of this water to the pipe 41, the bore 27, the bore 43 and the pipe 44 is controlled by the needle valve 50 so that the return of the rod 74 is retarded. This, together with the tapered walls 115 results in the fact that the initial flow of water from the tank 15, after the float valve 66 has been dislodged is metered and there is no sudden surge of water from the tank 15 through the opening 69 and thence to the line 11 to the bowl. 10, and it is not until the end 110 of the rod 74 is completely free of the opening 69 that full communication between the tank 15 to the bowl 10 is established and this does not occur until substantially all of the water entrapped below the piston 81 has been forced through the pipe 44, 114, and the fitting 112 to join the water being supplied to the bowl 10.

It is to be further noted that there is no direct connection between the actuating member 37 and the bowl or its supply line 11 with the result that the valve 16 may be positioned anywhere in the bathroom that is desired and while it is shown here as being mounted directly on the wall 121 behind the bowl 10 it could be on the side of the room 120 or in the floor 130, which simply means that there is no restriction imposed by the invention upon placing the valve 16 and its actuating member 37 at any desired place in the bathroom.

While there has been described what is at present considered a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention and it is intended to cover herein all such changes and modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A water closet comprising: a tank having a closed upper end and a water inlet adjacent the bottom end thereof open to the domestic water supply; an outlet adja cent the bottom of said tank; a float normally closing said outlet; a valve connected to the domestic water supply; a piston mounted below said outlet; a conduit from said valve to said tank below said float and operative in one position of said valve to conduct water under pressure to said piston, said piston being spring biased towards one position but operative under pressure of water applied thereto to move to another position and dislodge said float and a conduit from said tank to a closet bowl to conduct water from said tank to said bowl to flush said bowl when said float is dislodged.

2. A water closet as set forth in claim 1 in which said valve has an actuator adapted to be mounted in a bath room adjacent said bowl and in which said valve, said tank and all other associated mechanism, except a portion of the conduit to said bowl and said bowl, are adapted to be mounted within a bathroom wall.

3. A water closet as set forth in claim 1 in which said inlet is smaller in diameter than said outlet.

4. A water closet as set forth in claim 1 in which said piston is larger in diameter than said outlet.

5. A water closet as set forth in claim 3 in which said piston is larger in diameter than said outlet.

6. A water closet as set forth in claim 5 having a fitting adjacent the bottom of said tank, said piston being .operably mounted in said fitting; an opening in said fitting between said piston and said float and a water line controlled by said valve whereby water in said fitting and below said piston may be passed back through said conduit, through said valve, said water line and into said opening. 7. A water closet as set forth in claim 5 having a fitting adjacent the bottom of said tank, said piston being operably mounted in said fitting; an opening in said fitting between said piston and said float and a water line controlled by said valve whereby water in said fitting and below said piston may be passed back through said conduit, through said valve, said water line and into said opening; and a needle valve in said water line to control the rate of water flow therethrough.

8. A water closet as set forth in claim 7 in which said valve has an actuator adapted to be mounted in a bathroom adjacent said bowl and in which said valve, said tank and all other associate mechanism except a portion of the conduit to said bowl and said bowl are adapted to be mounted on a bathroom wall.

9. A water closet as set forth in claim 7 including an anti-siphon tube connected to said last-mentioned conduit from said tank and between said bowl, a check valve in said anti-siphon tube to prevent resurgence of water back through last-mentioned conduit and consequent dislodging of said float when receded.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,005,117 10/1911 Judell 426 X 1,554,265 9/1905 Elrod 426 HOUSTON S. BELL, JR., Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,397 ,408 August 20 1968 E Chris Skousgaard It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 6, line 33, "receded" should read reseated Signed and sealed this 3rd day of February 1970.

( SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. E.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

